In Bed With The Right Episode 126 -- Bari Weiss, Part 1
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Mar 10, 2026 A deep-dive into a polarizing media figure's rise from campus activism to major newsrooms. They unpack her early life, Zionist roots, and Columbia controversies. Discussion covers her move through Jewish outlets, Wall Street Journal style, and high-profile New York Times departure. They also trace the creation of her Substack persona and how identity and victim narratives fuel her influence.
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From Campus Activist To Anti-Woke Media Star
- Bari Weiss rose by turning campus grievance culture into national media themes about cancel culture and anti-wokeness.
- Moira Donegan and Adrian Daub trace her path from Columbia campus activism to shaping mainstream anti-woke coverage at major outlets.
Columbia Founding Moment Fueled Her Persecution Narrative
- At Columbia Weiss co-founded Columbians for Academic Freedom after viewing the documentary Columbia Unbecoming and targeted professors she saw as anti-Zionist.
- A Columbia review later found allegations against one targeted professor unfounded, yet Weiss made this early persecution narrative central to her identity.
Twitter Controversies Became Her Editorial Engine
- Weiss leveraged Twitter-era controversies into a feedback loop: write about social media fights, provoke Twitter, then use the blowback as evidence of 'cancel culture.'
- This dynamic amplified her profile despite modest formal rank at The New York Times.
